Pros: Blue Ribbon Pines is extremely well manicured and has such extensive landscaping I have to mention it first. The amount of time and effort put into taking care of and landscaping this course is incredible. The land here is nice, but there has been so much work put into making it visually appealing with boulders, large landscaping bricks, the use of large branches to create a mulched filled frame around trees... I just can't say enough good things about it.

The course is super easy to navigate with clearly defined walk ways to the next hole as well as an arrow on top of most baskets and arrows on trees pointing the way. There's a pro shop with a massive selection of discs, drinks, snacks and restrooms. There's a practice basket, all the baskets are colored blue and in great condition. There are benches at nearly every hole and numerous rakes to retrieve discs if you're unfortunate enough to get acquainted with the water hazards. There are a couple port-a-potties on the course as well as a concession stand by holes 15 and 25 (although it wasn't open when I was here).

There's an excellent shot variety like you would expect on any top notch course and a few of the holes have multiple routes through the trees. The course also has a fantastic balance of wooded and open holes so there's something for everyone. The hole length is phenomenal. There are holes ranging from 140ft to 750ft. The best part about this is there isn't a single throw away or easy birdie hole. Birdies are they but you have to work for every single one of them.

The risk/reward is top notch. There are a few ponds on the course and they're all used extremely well to make you think about the shots and figure out if you want to go for it or try to play it safe. The reward is there, but so is a lost disc if you don't execute well. There's also a small creek that comes into play on a number of holes to think about. And the risk/reward doesn't just involve water. There are a number of non-water holes that make you think about shot selection, whether or not you want to go for it and about placement. Additionally there are a few raised and lowered baskets to keep the putting greens interesting. There are still plenty of birdie opportunities but none are gimmies and Blue Ribbon Pines brings a challenge.

These are all qualities you would expect to see on a top notch course.

Cons: The tee signs are not always very good. Some have a good picture of the hole and an arrow to indicate where the basket is. Others are simply a picture of someone putting which doesn't provide much help finding the basket from the tee pad. Many baskets are not visible from the tee or are not easy to see if you've not played here before so the tee signs are a bit lacking. Thankfully this is the only notable issue with this course.

A few of the holes in the open field towards the end of the round are a little boring compared to the rest of the course, but on the other hand they do provide some nice variety from all the wooded holes so it's a matter of preference.

When driving to the course, the last half mile is awful. The gravel road is super bumpy. That's no fault of the course but is worth mentioning.

Other Thoughts: This course is definitely worth going out of your way to play. It's not a very beginner friendly course, but top notch courses like this rarely are. Everyone else will likely love the challenge this course presents and have a great time playing here.

It costs $5 to play here but the fee is well worth it to play at a course of this caliber.

Pros: One of the best courses i have played. Beutiful landscaping, amazing hole layout. great variety of shots, very challenging. Not to mention they serve ice cold beverages and have a snack shack half way through! Keep up the great work guys!

Cons: None, other then the fact I have nightmares about hole 4!

Other Thoughts: Everyone has to play this course! Possible spot for the TMDGA

Pros: The course plays through a beautifully manicured property with a mix of open fields and wooded areas. Several longer holes cross the open area in the middle of the property, some have either the tee or basket tucked into the edge of the woods and many bring a small creek into play on the fairway or around the green. A few of the wooded holes also use ponds to add risky water shots along fairways or around greens, I really enjoyed the use of water on this course throughout.

The woods offer enough trees to make for great technical shots with tight gaps and a variety of interesting lines. The rough is pretty beaten down overall, you will pay for missing the fairway but it's not so thick you'll lose discs or have to just pitch out. There is an excellent variety of length in the woods, with some fun but tricky short holes and some real par 4s with tight landing zones. You'll need every shot in your bag here, with a balance of left and right turning holes and some dead straight shots that are always tricky.

The concrete tees are plenty large, especially on the longer holes, and have enough texture for good grip even when wet. The landscaping is excellent here, it's obvious a ton of time and effort has gone into making this place special. The logs lining fairways and wood chipped greens add to the vibe, and there wasn't any trash or vandalism. The pro shop was well stocked, the snack shack is a nice touch though unfortunately closed during my visit.

Cons: My biggest issue with the course is the repetitive feeling of the many holes back and forth across the central field. They offered similar lengths, and not a whole lot of obstacles other than the narrow creek, and just didn't add a whole lot to the fun factor here for me. The signage is pretty bad, the tee signs are just pictures showing a player throwing. There are lots of blind holes and it's frustrating to have to walk ahead to check out the hole your first time through the course. A couple baskets weren't in the position indicated by the sign, so those distances weren't even correct.

Other Thoughts: This course is a great place to play, and I would definitely stop by again if I were in the area. Beginners will find it tough, but not terribly punishing. It's technical but not to the point of frustration for most new players. Experienced throwers will find some great technical challenges here, there are lots of interesting lines to hit and some beautiful shots. Hole 4 is one of the coolest tee shots I've ever seen, with a 400' dead straight look down a narrow pine alley.

I never mind paying to play at facilities like this one where it's obvious the proceeds go back into the course. $5 is more than reasonable for a beautifully groomed course with fun and challenging shots.

Pros: Variety of shots required to shoot well on this championship course. The landscaping and upkeep is immaculate and one of the best kept course in the Nation! This is evident as soon as you step foot on hole #1.

Lots of long holes along open flat fairways set amongst sod farms; grass is pristine!

Plenty of long holes with tightly wooded fairways as well. Hole #4 is the courses signiture hole forcing a straight drive inbetween two rows of closely stacked pines. Paring this one is a challenge.

Water dangers always exciting and plenty of them forcing players to throw over water from different angles and elevations.

Extremely well maintained and a championship course design you will definitely remember. Dog friendly, beer friendly, green friendly!. Be prepared to spend at least 3 hours on the round.

Lots of tournaments here including throughout the winter months!

Cons: The only downside to this course is the lack of elevation. To be a top ten course, you have to have a decent amount of elevation. This course although immaculate, is relatively flat all around. Currently ranked #5 in the country seems to have a lot of people pissed off. First due to its lack elevation and second it doesnt have the history and time on its side. Otherwise a phenomenal course. 45 minute drive outside of the twin cities...

Pros: Blue Ribbon Pines is the ultimate disc golf destination in the Twin Cities. If you are ever in the area this is the place you want to be.

Coming up MN Highway 65 there is a nice brown sign telling you where your turn off is, making it hard to miss. After that it is a short drive down a gravel road. You can't miss the cool mural in front of the club house as you drive into the parking lot.

The cost is $5 for the day and it is worth every cent. There is Pabst on sale here, along with other beverages if you forgot to bring your own. The club house is also stocked with a great selection of discs with typical prices.

Don't forget to pick up a scorecard while paying for your round, especially if this is your first time here. There is an awesome map on the back and a list of OB's, Mando's and Drop Zones. Using the map with the tee signs should insure you are throwing at the correct basket.

As soon as you step up to the first tee you can tell that this course has awe inspiring landscaping. Every tee pad is large with little to no erosion around them giving you as much room as you could possibly want and letting you attack it at any angle you may need. Hole 26 could be considered the apex of the landscaping you'll find here, a double tiered pin location surrounded by large boulders and filled with auburn colored wood chips.

Hole 4 is considered the signature hole. When you see it you'll know why.

Although many of the holes have tight wooded fairways, the brush around them have been almost entirely cleared throughout the whole course, making discs easy to find for those of us who aren't 1000 rated players. Even with all the leaves on the ground and trees I hit I had trouble only finding one shot which was partially buried in leaves.

The use of water hazards on this course is one of its greatest aspects and can't be found anywhere else in the Twin Cities. Two large ponds and two long creeks make for a lot of chances to go OB in water (simply look at the Hole info and you'll see what I mean). There are very handy poles with hooks on them at all of the water hazard locale's, sans holes 17 and 22. If your shot goes into one of those two it may be gone for good unless you are willing to swim in some very murky water.

There have been a few negative reviews about the tee signs because they have pictures of the hole, rather than hole information but if you have a scorecard you have all that information and simply duplicating that on tee signs would be redundant.

The little elevation in the surrounding land used for the course is used to great effect. Quite a few holes have some elevation change, such as #15 where you shoot uphill into tight woods and the basket is in a deep ditch. Hole #17 has you shooting downhill over a pond. Then you throw over a small hill and over a creek. There simply is no "top of the world" shot which you see done well at the Three Rivers Parks disc golf courses.

There are also quite a few holes throwing over open ground. They all make good use of the two creeks running through the property. For example, on hole 15 if you are lucky to throw through the trees off your tee shot you can easily overshoot and land in the creek. They do a good job of mixing distance and shot selection on these open holes. The wind can easily be a large factor on these holes.

Hole 18 is 750 feet long, marks your distance out to 500 feet. It'd be a great place for a roller if it weren't for the OB creek, unless you can place it over the narrow strip of land.

Hole 19 is a fun "island" hole, partially through roped off OB and partially because it is tucked at the confluence of the two creeks and is protected by two small trees. Even if you miss the island you have a good chance at a circle 3 because the drop zone is only about 50 feet out.

The OB here is used well. It is used very sensibly and generally makes sense, such as water, protecting other fairways and/or tee areas.

Cons: It is hard to think of many cons for this course. The biggest one, other than it is too far away from where I currently live would be elevation. The course is located in a very flat part of Minnesota, which you can't fault the course or its owner. What is here is used well.

The course is slightly lefty friendly. While it is still a very difficult course no matter what hand or style you throw there are a few more tee shots which benefit a LHBH player than a RHBH player. Although this is a minor gripe, maybe I should just learn to throw with the correct hand!

Another small gripe is the pond at holes 22 and 17. I recommend not throwing a disc you are overly fond of. I usually throw a cheaper plastic, such as DX because if I lose it then it is only $7 down the drain. The pond is murky, has no way of retrieving your disc, sans jumping in and letting your feet find it.

Other Thoughts: While I gave this course a 5.0 it is probably more a 4.8 or 4.9 but I rounded up since it is definitely better than a 4.5.

You will not find a better course in the Twin Cities area. This is what pay to play is supposed to be.

Cons: Some of the tee signs could be better in displaying where the baskets are, the baskets have blue chains and can be tough to spot sometimes.

Other Thoughts: I played here alone twice and found my way around just fine both times. This course truly has to be one the the best disc golf courses available to play! It's not better then Flyboy Aviation, but it is in the same discussion for the best course in the US. I would take a vacation to Minnesota for the weekend just to come play this course!

Pros: Difficult with all kinds of variety of shots. Easy to find where everything is located.
great baskets and great tees. pro shop. lot of wooded holes and alot of open holes. 27 holes. completely perfect ourse.

Cons: not closer to me. other than that... nothing but i have to keep typing so it will let me post my review.....

Other Thoughts: this is my favorite course i have played in MN y far. I loved it!

Pros: -Wonderfully maintained course, the grounds are absolutely immaculate
-Good blend of everything from heavily wooded to wide open field holes both short and long
-Will provide everybody with a challenge
-Concession stand halfway through
-Very nice, long concrete tees
-Garbage & recycling cans at nearly every hole
-Fully stocked pro shop at the start along with scorecards
-Good use of water hazards which are in play on close to half the holes

Cons: It's not much, but:
-Very little elevation change as almost every is flat
-The basket locations may change from time to time which is nice, however the locations they were at when I was there required a vast majority of shots to fade to the right. It was definitely not set up for a RHBH thrower. A little more variety would have been nice.

Other Thoughts: First off, it pains me a little bit to give this course a 4.5 instead of a 5.0. I would give it a 4.9 if I could. This is a world-class course, and I absolutely would recommend making a trip to come play it (no matter where you're from).
The course is kept in immaculate condition, I honestly can't remember seeing a single piece of garbage lying on the ground anywhere on the course. There are cans at nearly every hole (if not every hole, can't quite remember). The players seem to respect the grounds and the work that has gone in to maintain it, which is a nice change from what I usually see at other courses. The pro shop and the concession stand offer beverages and snacks which you may need at some point on this relatively long 27 hole course. I noticed one porta-potty on the course which was accessible from about 4-5 different holes so you don't have to go in the woods if it becomes necessary.
The concrete tee pads were exceptionally long and in very nice condition. Even though the course is heavily wooded, unless you throw a disc into a water hazard you shouldn't lose one in the woods. The underlying brush is almost entirely cleared away in most areas which makes finding those drives that strayed off into the woods not too difficult to find. The water hazards are very deep for their size so you probably won't get your disc back if you find yourself in one, but they do have rakes so you can at least try. I found that to be a thoughtful addition.
There are several different holes which could be considered "signature" holes. The one that first comes to mind is #4, which is a 443' foot hole which requires an absolutely arrow straight drive through a tunnel that is no wider than 15'. Stray to either side and you will hit trees (and lots of them). #19 is the other hole that comes to mind; it's a wide open 750' par 4. There are driving range markers on the fairway which makes it a fun little contest to see what you can do. There's also a creek at about 450' which could present a problem for some folks off the tee.
To conclude, really the only thing that stopped me from giving this course a 5.0 was the fact that almost every hole required a shot that faded to the right. I may have just been here on a day where the baskets were in these locations; but they should make it more even between the fades that are required. Make no mistake however, you need to pay this course a visit if you are serious about disc golf.

Pros: BRP is a private course outside the Minneapolis metro area. A large sign directs you to the course from the nearby highway. Arriving at the course, you see a large mural on a semi trailer. There is a pro shop where you pay your $5. It's stocked with disc, snacks and has clean restrooms.

The course has wonderful amenities including benches, trash cans, bag hangers and next tee signs. Thye really know how to take care of the players here. There are huge extra grippy block teepads. The blue Mach 5's are very visible through the woods.

27 holes including some classic disc golf holes. Start with # 4, the Gauntlet Hole, one of the more intimidating and challenging holes I've encountered. 443' down a 20' wide corridor of pine trees.

I like the way they aren't afraid to throw in short unique hole such as # 10, the 140' 90 degree right turn hole.

Cons: I have but a few cons. The first is the lack of elevation. Because the course is basically flat, it leaves me wanting for that EPIC hole. # 4 is a monster, no doubt. But it's not an EPIC hole.
Secondly, the holes from woods across the flat open field with only the creek for an obstacle became monotonous after a while.
Third, the water hazards on the course, while certainly challenging, were ugly and nasty.
Fourth and lastly, And on this point, I feel like I'm comparing BRP to only some of my favorite courses in the country. And while I think this maybe is unfair in some way, I think it's a point that I have to make. That is, I want a course that I rate 4.5 or 5.0 to be drop dead scenic or to have some incredible views or vistas. Blue Ribbon Pines is a nice, flat incredibly challenging course in the woods. It's great but it's not visually beautiful.

Other Thoughts: BRP recieves an easy 5.0 for the challenge. It's an easy 5.0 for amenities. It get's a 5.0 for the amount of work they put in to make the experience great for the disc golfer here.

So my question is? Does BRP deserve his lofty ranking in the top 5 courses in the country? For challenge, difficulty and amenities, I say Yes! But for the overall ranking, I say sorry! Top 20 maybe.

I've played Coyote Point DGC at Lake Casitas in Southern California, Delaveaga and Stafford Lake in North California, Hornings Hideout, Milo McIver and Whistlers Bend in Oregon, Circle R Rolling Meadow Course in Wemberly, Texas, Beaver Ranch in Colorado and The Woodshed in Paw Paw, West Virginia. All these courses offer the same degree of challenge as BRP along with incredible natural beautiful surroundings. I would rank them all ahead of BRP. I agree to disagree with you if you've played any of them and can make a valid comparison.